God's Economy Part 2

3 Essential questions of God’s Economy.

God’s Economy

Part 2

“The Three Foundational Questions”

Last week we began a study on God’s Economy.  We are searching the scriptures to discover what God’s answer is to our economy and financial struggles, and we find out that God DOES have an answer.  God DOES care and he DOES give us specific instructions on how to live a financial fruitful life.   

2 Corinthians 9:8   And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

In essence this scripture means;

-God has the power to give; above, over, to excel, super abound

-And it is his gracious pleasure to do so toward us

 -That at all times, we are content and satisfied and living above, over and excelling

-that we may above, over, and excel, in every good work

-that we may be in a position to help others, to give, to minister

Last week we introduced God’s economic plan…this week we will lay the foundation for the plan.  Every good plan must have a foundation, and God’s plan can be established at looking at 3 basic questions, and how you answer these questions will determine your ability to work in God’s plan.  The 3 foundational questions actually lay the foundation for the entire Christian life.   If you struggle with surrender, if you struggle with faith, if you struggle with doubt...take a good look at these three simple questions…it can change how you see the world.

PRAY 

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1. Question #1; What is reality?

A. The word reality means “the state, fact or quality of being real.”  Reality is what you base your life on, it is what you depend on, and it is what you live by. 

It seems simple and it is simple for most people, however, it is not a simple thing for the Christian.

The Christian lives in two realities.

Faith is not a refuge from reality. It is a demand that we face reality, with all its difficulties, opportunities, and implications.

Evelyn Underhill (Exponent of the Mystical Life)

a. These realms are;

the Spiritual and the physical,

the Visible and the invisible,

the tangible and the intangible. 

We are born into this physical world, but the moment we are saved we are born again into the spiritual world.  And our ability to put these two realms in proper perspective with each other determines whether or not we succeed as Christians. 

b. We can’t always live by the spiritual—and we can’t always live by the physical. 

That is our dilemma—finding the proper balance between the two.

B. The world’s answer to Reality is simple;

It is the 5 senses.

what I can see,

touch,

taste,

smell, and

hear…

This is what is real.  As humans, we are prone to believe on the basis of our five senses; if I can’t do any of these things—then it must not be real. 

So by the world’s definition,and only by the world’s definition we can conclude that the obvious is reality and that which is not obvious is not reality.

The Visible is reality and the Invisible is non-reality. 

a. This leaves the Christian in a dilemma.  We try to live with eternity in view—which is not an obvious idea. 

In theological terms, reality refers to the true nature of existence as created and sustained by God, encompassing both the material and spiritual realms.

Hebrews 11:1 MEV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

And Everything the Bible tells us—salvation, heaven, eternity, healing—is based on faith—things that are not obvious.  So we try to live with these hopes of the not obvious, but being human we are often tempted to live by the world’s definition of reality…what IS obvious. 

Therefore the Christian struggles with what is real and with what is not real.

This is why we have problems

with faith. 

with healing

with tithing

with giving

.with obedience

Because it goes against our reality...it goes against what is obvious. 

And that is why the world has a problem with salvation, because in their reality they do not understand their need to be saved…it must be revealed to them in the spirit by the spirit.             

This is why Faith is core to the Christian walk. Because it helps us to live in a reality that is opposite the world’s view.     

Faith plays a crucial role in understanding reality      

C. There are literally two worlds that we exist in and live.

a. 1 Corinthians 15:44  

1 Corinthians 15:44 MEV

It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

b. Our senses touch, taste, smell, see and hear control our faith in the natural, and all too often that is the world that we subscribe to more.

The other world we cannot see physically, but is just as real; it is the spiritual world. 

We have a hard time recognizing this world because we were separated from God when Adam sinned, and we are not as sensitive to the spiritual world as we should be.  Our spiritual blindness keeps us from seeing past our natural senses.

Every man lives by faith, the non-believer as well as the saint; the one by faith in natural laws and the other by faith in God.

A. W. Tozer

1 Corinthians 2:14 MEV

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

c. As Christians, we live by the natural and the spiritual, and the stronger our realization of the spiritual world is makes an impact on how we operate in the natural world. The problem is—as physical, natural humans—we tend to lean more toward the natural and not the spiritual.

That’s why we skip our tithe when our week runs short of money

That’s why we call the Dr. and run to the medicine cabinet before we pray

That is why we begin to worry when things look negative

That is why we struggle with faith and in believing what the word of God says.

d. But as Christians, we must understand that we are first and foremost eternal spiritual beings, and we should judge our circumstances by the word of God. 

The word of God is our Reality! 

The word of God gives us eternal spiritual truths to live by.

D. Let’s look at what God says about reality.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (Contemporary English)

16 We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. 17 These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. 18 Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That’s why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen.

a. So what is this scripture saying?  It is saying just because I can’t see it, touch it, taste it, hear it or smell it…it doesn’t mean that it is not real.  But as a matter of fact, the things that you can’t see, touch, tastes, hear or smell—are in all actuality more real.  And these are the things you should stay focused on…not things that pass away, but things that will last forever.

Faith is nothing but believing what God promises or says. Whatever remarkable thing we read of happening in the Old or New Testament, we read that it was done by faith—not by works, not by a general faith, but by faith directed to the matter in hand.

Martin Luther (Founder of the German Reformation)

Physical Reality says I am sick

Spiritual Reality says I am healed.

Physical Reality declares me to be broke.

Spiritual Reality declares me to have more than enough.

Physical Reality says my kids are Rebellious

Spiritual Reality says My kids will be saved.

Physical Reality says my marriage is falling apart.

Spiritual Reality says He makes all things new.

Physical Reality says I am dying.

Spiritual Reality says I will live forever.

Physical Reality says Anxiety is going to take over and cause Panic Attacks and Depression

Spiritual Reality says cast your cares upon me and my burden is light.

Faith is to believe what we do not see. The reward of this faith is to see what we believe. —Augustine

Saint Augustine of Hippo

b. Which is the most real to you?  

Is it what you can see…

how you feel…

what you can control…

what you can touch? 

Or is it the word of God? 

Which one do you react to?

The Bible so called because the writers of its several books were God’s organs in communicating his will to men. It is his “word,” because he speaks to us in its sacred pages. Whatever the inspired writers here declare to be true and binding upon us, God declares to be true and binding

i. Which one is more real to God? 

What you can touch, taste and see? 

Or what he has promised?

ii. And how you react determines how God reacts. 

Again, the Bible says, “faith is the substance of things hope for, and the evidence of things not seen.” 

A literal translation of this verse is, “faith makes unseen things seen.” 

Faith gives substance to the things you hope in.  When you react in faith according to what God has promised, you will move from the realm of physical reality into the realm of the spiritual—the realm of the unseen.

c. There is nothing around you that will last forever; this building, these pews, your car, your house, the trees outside, even your body—it will all pass away.  So therefore, we cannot put our faith in these things. 

The only thing that will stand forever is the word of God, and so that is where we must place our faith. 

That must be our reality. 

And our faith will give substance to these spiritual realities.

d. As Christians we must learn to live by the spirit—and not by the flesh.  We have to move into the realm of the Spirit to find reality.  For as long as we stay in the flesh, we will think as the world thinks, and the plagues of this world will continue to plague us.

E. So what is Reality?  God is reality!  And since God is Spirit, ultimate reality is the things of the Spirit.  Reality is NOT what is obvious, but reality is what is actual!  And what is actual is what the word of God tells me.

Obvious………….......verses…………….Actual

I am sick………………….by his stripes I am Healed

I am cursed……………….I am blessed in the city

I am defeated……………..I am victorious

I can’t do it……………….I can do all things through Christ

I am not good enough…….I am joint heirs with Jesus

a. If you think about your needs present or past, What do you see or think when you look at that problem?  Is what you see or feel based on the five senses of see, touch, taste, smell, or hear, and does it throw your life into a panic?  If so, then you are looking at it all wrong.  You need to look at your circumstance through eyes of reality.  And what is reality?  Reality is God!  Reality is what God says!  When you look at your circumstances through the eyes of God, you see His ability and His promise to see you through that circumstance.

b. We look through the obvious to see the actual.What is obvious?  That there is a need!  What is actual?  That God has promised to meet that need. 

c. So we praise God for meeting the need before the need is ever met, before we ever have visual proof, because we take a trip into the realm of the unseen to bring back true reality.  And what looked impossible, becomes possible with God.

Hebrews 11:1  (NEB) And what is faith?  Faith gives substance to our hopes, and makes us certain of realities we do not see.

F. When we exercise faith, the invisible become visible.  Our faith will make substance out of the invisible.  Our faith brings the actual to the obvious.

a. So if you are a believer, then don’t live your life by what you see, but live life by what the Bible sees—the truth—Reality.

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Question #2; Why are we Here?

Have you ever wondered what this is all about? 

Why are we here? 

What is really going on? 

What is God up to? 

Why did He create us? 

What was his motivation?

This question is so important, because our purpose has everything to do with our existence.

Every living thing has a purpose in God’s plan.  And when you are living out God’s plan for your life, there is no more fulfilling place to be.          

i. God has a plan.  He had a plan when He created all things. 

That plan has never changed. 

And everything is still going according to plan. 

And God wants you to be involved in carrying out His plan.

Ephesians 1:8-10   (NLT)

8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.  9 God’s secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure. 10 And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. 12 God’s purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God

ii. Many people say “why we are here” is a mystery.  Even Christians will say that God’s will and plan are a mystery.  But these scriptures say that “the mystery” has been revealed to us; that God’s plan is “at the right time—all things will come under the authority of Christ…everything in heaven and on Earth”

God has a plan! That plan involves Jesus and that plan involves us.

i. So what is God’s plan? 

Simply put; it is God’s plan that all things come under the authority of Jesus Christ. 

It is God’s will that every creature bow his knee to Jesus and worship him.  And you and I are commissioned to be involved in that plan.  That is what our whole existence should be about.  And as long as we are working toward that goal, Heavens resources will be released to us.

Why don’t I have more?  Here is a good question for you…is your life’s ambition about advancing your Kingdom or advancing the Kingdom of God! 

This could be the answer that you are looking for.  You may not have more because you are in survival mode, and not surrender mode. 

You want more, we want this and want that.

Maybe you don’t have more because everything you have and have done so far is for your glory and not for God’s Glory.

i. Every economic plan has a goal in mind.  The world’s economic plan seemingly has one main goal;

to make enough money to get all the stuff you want and need

ii. To get a big house

iii. To get a nice car

iv. To retire with no worries

v. To go on big trips

vi. To wear the latest styles

vii. Basically—to fulfill all our lustful fleshly desires

God’s economic plan also has one goal— a very different goal.  And that goal is;

that all things come under the authority of Christ and that the world find salvation. 

God will release Heaven’s resources to those who are working toward that goal.

So what are your motives for wanting to be blessed? 

What are your motives for wanting more? 

What are your motives for asking God for a better job with better pay, and opportunities to make more money? 

It is to further your kingdom, or to further God’s.

a. There is an easy way to answer that question…how have you used what God has given you so far.

ii. If someone were to bless you with $1000.00 today, how would you use that $1000.00.  I bet you could think of a hundred different things that you want…and never even think about why God may have blessed you with that money.  He may have blessed you with it to meet a specific need, maybe the need of someone else.   And how you use that blessing may determine whether or not you receive another one in the near future.

a. And I am not saying that you have to give all your money away, and I am not saying that if God blesses you with a gift that you have to give it away. 

But I am saying that if we will be sensitive to the spirit of God to give to the needs that God places in front of us—according to his word—we will always have more than enough. 

That is reality. 

And that is how God proposes to use you and me in his plan to glorify Jesus.

iii. Let’s look at where we fit into Gods plan… In Genesis 1:26, we find three reasons why we are here 

Genesis 1:26 MEV

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

a. #1 “Let us make man in our image.” 

b. Even though we can never fully understand in totality what God meant, we can still know this; God made man to look like Himself.  There is something godlike in man.  There is something manlike in God.  Man and God favor… which is God’s intention. 

God made man to be an extension of himself.  We are not God, but in our redeemed state we are God’s means of extending himself to wherever we are. 

You are here to extend the life of God to others.

iv. # 2.  God declared “After Our Likeness.”     

a. This is internal.  Image is external, but likeness is internal. 

Our countenance is to reflect what God is like,

Our conduct is to reflect what God is like. 

We are worth no more than what our life shows the World about God’s character. 

In our Morals and Motives, we are to reflect God.  We are not only an extension of His life, but we are also an expression of His character.  

If my salvation is working, then my life is a fitting expression of what God is like to the world.

v. #3.  God said, “Let them have dominion”

a. Dominion reveals the third reason of why you are here.  Dominion is a gift. 

Man did not have to work for it, but God gave it to him. 

“Let them have dominion” was not a suggestion, but an eternal decree, it was a command.

Man was given dominion over everything in creation, and that dominion was absolute.  So not only was man given the appearance and character of God, Man was made an exhibit of God’s dominion and power.

 Man ruled with authority!

  As long as he was in submission to authority, he possessed authority.

So this is why we are here: 

To extend His presence to those that are hurt and hopeless

To express His person to those that are in need and in want

To Exhibit His power to those who need deliverance

You are not here for yourself and your own pleasure, but you are here to further the kingdom, and work toward God’s goals and plans.  To live in God’s economy…you have to understand this principle above all others; IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!

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3. Question #3; What is God up to?

What is God up to?  He is up to what he has always been up to…completing his plan.

God is leading us to our eternal destination, and using us to lead others there as well.

The Bible tells us that “it is not God’s will that any perish, but that we all have everlasting life and dwell with him in Heaven forever.”  That is what God is up to. 

That is His agenda—there is no mystery in it.  He is always working to save our eternal souls.  And I trust him—that no matter what I am going through—He has a reason for allowing it.

i. This is important in understanding a little better why some things are allowed to happen in your life, because God is concerned about the eternal more than the temporary.

ii. If God is in control, and his ways and thoughts are above mine, and I know what his plan is…then I should be able to trust him through whatever I face.

So what is God up to? 

He is about his business. 

He is about his plan. 

He is about His will. 

He is about bringing all things under the authority of Christ.

i. It is not about you.  It is not about me.  It is not about this church.  It is not about your ministry.  It is not about your likes and dislikes.  It is about JESUS.  It is about the lost that do not know him.

ii. So don’t get upset when things are not going according to “your” plan because it is not about “your” plan…it is about God’s plan. 

And we may not always understand the way the plan is being executed, but at least you know the goal, and you can always trust the ONE doing the planning.

a. He is doing his will—His way—in His timing—because he knows all….and we can trust him.  AMEN.

b. What is reality?

God is Reality and He is the source of all reality.

c. Why am I here? 

We are here as manifestations of that reality to do his work.

d. What is God up to? 

God is executing His eternal plan to glorify Himself, and He desires to include every one of us in that plan.

The Main Business of Christians is God and His Business. Modern Christianity and even most modern worship songs are all about I and or Me, but the reality is we should be about God and His business.

WE ARE NOT SAVED FOR US, but WE ARE SAVED BECAUSE OF HIM and FOR HIM.  You couldn’t do it, and if you can’t do it then you need someone who can and that was Jesus!

We are not to be filled with the Spirit for us, but we are to be filled with the Spirit for HIM and His service. 

How do we know someone is filled with the Spirit? because they will be pointing to Christ.

If you are running pews and shouting but you don’t have the fruit of the Spirit you don’t have the Holy Ghost you have ADHD.

God’s blessings come to us, not just to make life enjoyable, but to make us employable to His Glory. 

A “self” point of view must be changed for a “God” Point of view.

Here we find what eternity is all about…what salvation is all about…and what God’s plan of economy is all about.  It is all about HIM.  It is for HIM. 

When we are blessed, it is for His Glory

When we are saved, it is for His Glory

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, it is for His Glory.

When we are healed, it is for His Glory.

When we get a raise on a job, it is for His Glory.

When we get a new home, it is for His Glory.

When we get a new car, it is for His Glory.

When we build a new church, it is for His Glory.

When we run 100 plus in attendance, it is for His Glory.

When we sing well, it is for His Glory.

When we preach well, it is for His Glory.

When we are in a trial, it is for His Glory.

So Let us get on with HIS business.  And let us do HIS work.  That is the foundation of understanding God’s economy.

Let me pray a blessing over you that you would inherit and put to practice this idea that we are to about Gods’ Kingdom and not ours!